J20-J21 MPD Civil Disturbance Unit Records

This is an automated message from the DC Government FOIA system. Dear Dimeth Peele, Request Number 2020-FOIA-00928 has been assigned to the request you submitted in relation to: Request description: Copies of any and all public records generated by the Civil Disturbance Unit on January 20th, 2017, as well as those generated on January 21st, 2017.

Please also search for and produce any and all of the below available types records, that are relevant to this inquiry:
a) cross-referenced records;
b) Indices & records of Electronic Surveillance (ELSUR), Microphone Surveillance (MISUR), Physical Surveillance (FISUR), Technical Surveillance (TESUR); and Human Intelligence (HUMINT);
c) search records of any kind generated to process this request;
d) records containing, mentioned by or attached to the records responsive to this request.

Please produce all responsive records with their administrative markings intact, including but not limited to, any and all headers, seals, signatures, as well as administrative and summary records. If previously released records are available, then we request a rolling release consisting of those records while additional records are located and processed for release. Whenever records would be withheld or redacted, please ensure such actions are explicitly allowed under applicable law. For any such redacted or withheld records, please supply the specific parts of all statutes and laws justifying the actions taken. We ask the agency respond with the remainder of such records, redacting and withholding only the portion(s) that are exempt.

Whenever possible, please provide all records in digital formats that are both searchable and sortable.

If any of the records requested are not in your custody or control, please state to the best of your knowledge and belief the reason for their absence from your custody and control, their location, and what person or agency then has custody and control. In such a case, please forward this letter to the appropriate custodian(s) of records, and let us know to whom/where it was forwarded. If any of the records requested are not readily available for examination or copying for any reason, please notify us with a date and hour at which time the records will be available.

Please cite any extenuating circumstances delaying a response to this letter, and when copies will be available, or the ability to inspect the requested records will be possible. If you deny any part or all of this request, please notify us of the appeal procedures available to us under law.

We're a news media organization, and as such, request news media fee categorization. We are dedicated to governmental transparency, investigative journalism and news gathering. We affirm that the release of these records is in the interest of the public good, and will contribute significantly to the public understanding the extent of government surveillance, as well as, its interference in, and disposition towards public protest and the exercise of first amendment rights.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. (Date Range for Record Search: From 01/20/2017 To 01/21/2017) In all future correspondence regarding this request, please reference request number 2020-FOIA-00928. To check for status, please log in  https://foia-dc.gov/palMain.aspx and go to Request Status. For any questions regarding your request, please contact the FOIA office directly. Find the list of agency Open Governement and FOIA contact information by visiting FOIA Contact Information. For ease of reference, we ask that you have your FOIA Request Number available when you contact the FOIA office. (https://dc.gov/node/818962) Regards,
DC Government FOIA Portal Having technical difficulties? Email FOIA.SystemAdmin@dc.gov or call 202-478-5973

November 15, 2019

Dimeth Peele
MuckRock News DEPT MR 82556
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144

Dear Mr./Ms. Peele,
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requires that requests describe the records sought with sufficient detail to allow an agency employee familiar with the subject area of the request to locate the records with a reasonable amount of effort. More specifically, 1 DCMR § 402.4 states that:
A request shall reasonably describe the desired record(s). Where possible, the specific information regarding names, places, events, subjects, dates, files, titles, file designation, or other identifying information shall be supplied.

A review of your FOIA requests assigned FOIA Request Nos.: 2020-FOIA-00928, 2020-FOIA-00931, 2020-FOIA-00934, and 2020-FOIA-01117, requires some additional clarification; therefore, we are unable to begin a search to process your request at this time. If you wish to pursue your FOIA requests, please contact our office at the number listed below.

If we do not receive the clarification required within five (5) business days from the date of this letter, we will presume that you are no longer interested in pursuing your request and we will withdraw your request.

In the meantime, your request will be placed on hold and the time for our response will not accrue under 1 DMCR § 405.6.

Kind Regards,

Clairessa D. Atkinson

Clairessa D. Atkinson, MA
FOIA Specialist
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Office
Metropolitan Police Department
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 727-3721

Honor the Best in Public Service! Nominate an outstanding DC Government employee and/or team for the 19th Annual Cafritz Awards<http://www.cafritzawards.org/> by December 6th, 2019.

This is an automated message from the DC Government FOIA system. Dear Dimeth Peele, The status for your request is below. Please log into https://foia-dc.gov/palMain.aspx and go to Request Status. If you have any questions regarding the status of your request, please contact the agency's FOIA office that you had submitted your FOIA request to. You can communicate directly with the FOIA office by clicking on Inbox, search the request number, and then click Compose Message. OR, visit to see a list DC Government FOIA Office’s/officer’s contact information and have your Request ID ready. (https://dc.gov/node/818962) Contact FOIA Office Request status: On Hold - Need Info/Clarification Request ID: 2020-FOIA-00928 Description: Copies of any and all public records generated by the Civil Disturbance Unit on January 20th, 2017, as well as those generated on January 21st, 2017.Please also search for and produce any and all of the below available types records, that are relevant to this inquiry:a) cross-referenced records;b) Indices & records of Electronic Surveillance (ELSUR), Microphone Surveillance (MISUR), Physical Surveillance (FISUR), Technical Surveillance (TESUR); and Human Intelligence (HUMINT);c) search records of any kind generated to process this request;d) records containing, mentioned by or attached to the records responsive to this request.Please produce all responsive records with their administrative markings intact, including but not limited to, any and all headers, seals, signatures, as well as administrative and summary records. If previously released records are available, then we request a rolling release consisting of those records while additional records are located and processed for release. Whenever records would be withheld or redacted, please ensure such actions are explicitly allowed under applicable law. For any such redacted or withheld records, please supply the specific parts of all statutes and laws justifying the actions taken. We ask the agency respond with the remainder of such records, redacting and withholding only the portion(s) that are exempt.Whenever possible, please provide all records in digital formats that are both searchable and sortable.If any of the records requested are not in your custody or control, please state to the best of your knowledge and belief the reason for their absence from your custody and control, their location, and what person or agency then has custody and control. In such a case, please forward this letter to the appropriate custodian(s) of records, and let us know to whom/where it was forwarded. If any of the records requested are not readily available for examination or copying for any reason, please notify us with a date and hour at which time the records will be available.Please cite any extenuating circumstances delaying a response to this letter, and when copies will be available, or the ability to inspect the requested records will be possible. If you deny any part or all of this request, please notify us of the appeal procedures available to us under law.We're a news media organization, and as such, request news media fee categorization. We are dedicated to governmental transparency, investigative journalism and news gathering. We affirm that the release of these records is in the interest of the public good, and will contribute significantly to the public understanding the extent of government surveillance, as well as, its interference in, and disposition towards public protest and the exercise of first amendment rights.The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. (Date Range for Record Search: From 01/20/2017 To 01/21/2017) Regards,
DC Government FOIA Portal

Good Afternoon Mr./Ms. Peele,

Please be advised, your FOIA request(s) has been withdrawn because the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) did not receive your response within five (5) business days from receipt of the "Clarification Required" notification, sent on November 15, 2019 (See below).

Kind Regards,

Clairessa D. Atkinson

Clairessa D. Atkinson, MA
FOIA Specialist
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Office
Metropolitan Police Department
300 Indiana Avenue, NW Room #4153
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 727-3721
Clairessa.atkinson2@dc.gov<mailto:Clairessa.atkinson2@dc.gov>

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